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(No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. N. Ross su H1 H. KELLER.. .BRICK MACHINE.

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(No Model.) 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' B.. N. ROSS 8v H. H. KELLER.

BRIGK MACHINE.

No. 487,161. Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

R. N. RUSS & H. H. KELLER.

BRICK MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 29, 1892.

(No Mpael.) sheets-#sheet 4. R. N, ROSS 81: H. H. KELLER. @RICK MACHINE. N0.`487,161. Patented NOVl 29, 1892. A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT N. ROSS AN D HENRY H. KELLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO MINARD S. BOWMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

BRICK-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,161, dated November 29, 1892..

Application filed November 14, 1890. Serial No. 371,449. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: a small chamber i1 in front of the main-chain Be it known that We, ROBERT N. ROSS and ber 12, the chamber 11 being formed by the HENRY H. KELLER, both of the city of St. sides of the charger being extended beyond Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented its front end 13 and the extensions being 55 5 a certain new and useful Improvement in connected by a cross-piece 14. In operating Brick-Machines, of which the following is a the charger its backward movement is so adfull, clear, and exact description, reference justed that the end 13 comes about in line being had to the accompanying drawings, with the front wall of the hopper, so that the forming part of this specication. chamber 11 is between the hopper and the 6o to Our invention relates to certain improvemold, and any clay which might fall forward ments in brick-machines and an improved of the end i3 will be deposited into the chammethod of making bricks; and our invention ber 1l, and as the charger moves over the consists in features of novelty hereinafter mold it will be dropped into the mold. With fully described, and pointed out in the claims. this construction it is impossible for clay to 65 I5 Figure I is a top or plan View of our imfall in front of the cross-piece 14, so that proved machine. Fig. II is a front elevation, when the charger moves forward to refill the part in section. Figs. III and IV are enlarged mold and to move the bricks which have just detail vertical sections taken on line III IV, been formed from over the mold there is no Fig. II, the two figures showing the parts in clay between the cross-piece 14E and the 7o 2o dierent positions. Fig. V is a vertical secbricks, and therefore the difficulty which has tion taken on line V V, Fig. I. Fig. VI is a heretofore been experienced of clay being similar view taken on line VI VI, Fig. I. pressed against the green bricks and adher- Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the ing to them in the forward movement of the framework of the machine, which may be of charger is avoided and the bricks are left in 75 25 any desired shape or form to properly snpa clean condition.

port the different parts. 15 represents the upper plunger, and 16 the 2 represents the table of the machine, in lower plunger, of the machine, each plunger which is located the mold 3, having any dehaving as many projections or members 17 as sired number of compartments, in each of there are compartments to the mold. (SeeFig. So 3o which a brick is formed, as usual. II.) The upper plunger is pivoted at 18 to the 4: represents the charger sliding over the lower link 19 of a vertical toggle, the upper end table 2 and mold 3 and depositing the clay in of the lower link being connected at 20 to the the latter. The charger receives the clay from lower end of an upper link or links 21 of the a hopper, (not shown,) as usual. The charger toggle. The upper link 2l is pivotedat 22 to 85 35 is moved by a lever 5, pivoted at 6 to the the frame of the machine and has an extenframe of the machine and connected at its sion 23 beyond the pivot. In the upper end upper end by means of a link 7 to the charger of t-he extension 23 is a pin 2e, engaged by a 4, (see Fig. VL) or there may be two sets of bifurcated arm or arms 25, connected by a rod these levers and links, as shown in Fig. I. 26 to sliding boxes 27, held and guided by the 9o 4o On the lever or levers 6 is a projection or frame l. The rod 24 iits looselyin the forked projections 8, (preferably in the form of a or bifurcated arms 25, so as to move back and friction roller or rollers,) engaged by a cam forth therein, as will be presently described. or cams 9 on the main power-wheels 10. As The sliding boxes 27 (see Fig. V) are conthe wheels 1G are turned the charger is forced nected by rods 2S to lower sliding boxes 29, 45 or moved backward and forward by the cam held and guided by the frame 1, or by lugs or or cams 9 to receive and deposit the clay into flanges 30 on the frame l. There are boxes 27 the mold. IVe do not make any claim to the and 29 on each side of lthe machine and a means of operating the charger, and this pair of the rods 2S connecting the boxes on means may be Varied or changed, if desired. each side ofthe machine. The lower plunger roo Y 5o We do claim invention, however, in the form 16 is connected by a rod or shaft 31 to the of the charger itself, in that it is formed with sliding boxes 29. The vertical toggle 19 21 is late the movement of the lower plunger.

connected at its pivot 2O to a second toggle, consisting of links 32 and 33, the adjacent ends of the links being pivoted together at 34. The outer end of the link 33 is pivoted at 35 to the frame of the machine, and the outer end of the link 32 is pivoted at 20 to the toggle 19 21.

36 represents alink or arm extending in a downwardlyl direction from the pivot 34 of the horizontal toggle 32 33 and to which the power is applied for operating the plungers. The link 36 has a yoke or strap 37, embracing a box 38 on the counter-shaft 39 and by which the link is held in a vertical position and by which it is guided in its work. On the link are projections 40, (preferablyin the form of friction-rollers) which fit in camgrooves 4l in the main driving-wheels lO, which are geared by pinions 42 to the main power-shaft 43, upon which is the drivingpulley 44. As the wheels 10 are turned in the direction of the arrow, Fig. VI, the link 36 is raised and lowered to open and close the toggles 32 33 and 19 2l, and thus impart movement directly to the upper plunger and indirectly to the lower plunger through means of the described connection between the two plungers, the lower plunger receiving its motion through the medium of the mechanism which operates the upper plunger. The lower plunger forms the bottom of the mold 3 while the upper plunger has to be elevatedv sufficiently far to permit the charger to pass between it and the mold, the upper plunger thus having to travel much farther than the lower plunger or much farther than it would be admissible for the lower plunger to travel. For this reason the connection consisting of the bifurcated or forked arms 25 between the sliding boxes 27 and the extensions 23 is provided, and, as will be readily understood by referring to Fig. VI, that the lower plunger will not commence to move until the pin 24 comes against the inner end of the fork of the arm 25, where an adjustable box 45 is located, and against which the pin 24 impinges. The box 45 is held in place by a set-screw 46, and by loosening the set-screw and placing something behind the box 45 the latter may be adjusted in or out, so as to regu- By a construction of this kind we are enabled to regulate the relative movements of Athe two plungers, and the mechanism by which the plungers are operated is not only a powerful one,but is simple in its construction, and the toggles for operating the plungers being located entirely above the point of moving clay and pressing the bricks the machine is minus such parts located in a place where they are .liable to receive the falling clay which is necessarily/'dropped from this class of machines and which causes the moving part upon which it falls to be rapidly worn and out, as well as interfering with the free movement of the joints. The upper plunger is raised and held in its raised position by the face 47 of each of pression at 48.

the cam-grooves bearing against the projection 40, and as the wheels 10 turn in the direction of the arrow, Fig. VI, the upper plunger moves downwardly by its own weight and by the weight of the toggles and link or arm 26. lt will be observed that the face 47 of the cam-groove is provided with an offset or de- The projection 40 is at this point when it ceases to bear on the face 47, and the object of making this offset or depression is to permit the plungers to stand still for an instant and permit the air to escape from the mold before the nal pressure is applied. The wheels 10 continuing to turn, the point of bearing upon the projections 40 is transferred to the face 49 of each of the cam-grooves, which pulls down upon the link 36, straightening out the horizontal toggles 32 33 and 19 20 and applying the final pressure by a downward movement of the plunger 15 and an upward movement of the plungerv16. At the point where the face 49 of each ofthe cam-grooves first comes in contact with the projections 40 we prefer to insert a piece of steel 50 to receive the impact of the projections. 1

The lower plunger 16 is provided with a number of vertical slots or openings 51, as shown clearly in Fig. Il. lu these slots or openings fit cross-bars 52. (See Figs. Il, lll, IV, and VI.) The cross-bars are perforated to receive bolts 53, supported by strips 54, secured to the frame of the machine. 55 represents spiral springs placed between the strips 54 and the cross-bars 52, and which act to hold the cross-bars in their upper positions. Secured to the cross-bars and projecting in an upwardly direction therefrom are pins or rods 56, which extend up through or alongside of the members 17 of the lower plunger (see Figs. ll and IV) into the mold. (See Figs. lll and VI.) These pins are preferably formed with conical upper ends, and they are .made slightly tapering, so as to be smaller at their upper ends than they are lower down. As stated, these pins enter the mold and as the dirt falls into the molds it surrounds the pins. Now just as the bricks are receiving their nal pressure the upper plunger comes against the upper ends of the pins 56 and forces them downward against the pressure of the springs 55, the result being that any air that is contained in the clay is allowed to escape around the slightly-tapering pins, resulting in the formation of perfect bricks. As

IOC

soon as the upper plunger begins to recede, Y

toggles are connected by links 62 to the lower arms of bell-crank levers 63, pivoted at 64 to the frame of the machine and having fric-l tion rollers or projections 65 on their upper ends, which are engaged by cams 66, secured to the counter-shaft 39, and by which the le- Vers are moved to raise the lower plunger through the described connection and lift the bricks out of the molds, the parts being so disposed that at the instant the bricks are raised out of the vmold by the lower plunger the charger comes forward again, moving the bricks from over the mold and, the lower plunger having immediately descended, iilling the mold with clay.

The rods 56 not only allow the air to escape, but form holes in the bricks, which while not injuring the bricks permit them to be burned more effectually.

70 represents an adjustable wedge located beneath a block 71 on the shaft 3l,and which serves to limit the downward movement of the lower plunger to regulate the size of the mold; but to this we make no claim asinventors, as its use and operation are well known and understood.

The table 2 is made in two parts, one on each side of the mold 3, secured together and to 4tho frame of the machine by bolts 80, as shown clearly in Fig. VI. Bythus constructing the table it can be easily put together and the mold can be easily renewed when desired.

My improved method of forming bricks, which I preferably carry out with my improved machine as hereinbefore described, consists, essentially, of the following steps: The clay or other material to be molded is fed into a proper mold and the initial pressure exerted upon it. This initial pressure, which in the case of my present machine is the weight of the horizontal toggles, is retained for a short time, until the air is allowed to escape from the material. When this is accomplished, the final or increased pressure is exerted for completing the brick. By this method we are enabled to produce a Very superior brick, the pressure being retained on the material from the beginning to the end of the operation, but being held stationary at an intermediate stage just before the final increased pressure for all the air to escape.

We claim as our inventionl. In a brick-machine, the combination of the mold, the upper and lower plungers, a toggle connecting the upper plunger to a iixed pivot, means for operating the toggle, an eX- tension 23 on the upper arm of the toggle, forked or bifurcated arms 25, pivoted to sliding boxes 27 and having a loose connection with the extension 23, and suitable connections between the sliding boxes 27 and the lower plunger, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The herein-described method of making bricks, which consists in feeding the material to the mold, exerting an initial pressure thereon, retaining said initial pressure while the air is allowed to escape from the material, and finally exerting an increased pressure for completing the brick, as herein set forth.

3. In a brick-machine, the combination of the mold, plungers, mechanism for operating the plungers, and the spring-seated rods 56, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a brick-machine, the combination of the mold, plungers, means for operating the plungers, cross-bars 52, springs 55, rods 53, and rods 56, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a brick-machine, the combination of a mold, plungers, means for operating the plungers to form the bricks in the molds, and means for lifting the lower plunger, consisting of the toggles GO, bell-crank lever 63,con necting-rod 62, and cam 66, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT N. ROSS. HENRY H. KELLER.

In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, THos. KNIGHT. 

